Govt allocates over Rs 85 m for disaster in North

The Government has allocated over Rs. 85 million to District Secretariats of disaster-affected areas in the North as initial relief. Minister of Public Administration and Disaster Management Ranjith Madduma Bandara told the Sunday Observer that initially Rs. 85 million will be allocated for food, drinking water, dry rations and other basic needs of the people.

As of last Saturday, 31,923 people from Mullaitivu and 78,528 from the Kilinochchi district were affected due to the floods including 12,642 people from Jaffna and 85 from Mannar.Around 123,178 people from 39,669 families were displaced due to the adverse weather from December 22.

Meanwhile, 474 houses have been fully damaged and 4,522 houses partially damaged due to floods. Two deaths were reported from the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts. At present, 4,627 people are housed in temporary shelters.According to Minister Madduma Bandara, the Government is now holding talks with the Indian Government for further aid to be distributed among people in the North. “We have already estimated the damage. When the assessment is completed we will provide more facilities to those affected and repair their houses,” the Minister said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also visited the flood-hit areas, last week. Northern Province Governor Reginald Cooray, Ministers Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Daya Gamage, Harsha De Silva, Rishad Bathiudeen, J.C. Alawathuwala and Vijayakala Maheswaran, MPs M.A. Sumanthiran, Mavai Senathirajah and Selvam Adaikalanathan, District Secretary of Kilinochchi Sundaram Arumainayagam, District Secretary of Mullaitivu Rupavathi Ketheeswaran, IGP and Senior military officers also accompanied the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chaired a meeting in Kilinochchi and pledged Rs. 10,000 compensation to each family affected by the floods.

courtesy : news.lk